IRM is a must see. Not that far out of Chicago. Plan a minimum of half a day to a day there. Also just aways south & west is the rail park at Rochelle. If you like just riding trains some of the Metra lines run on weekends and you can buy a ticket that is good for riding any train any time on Saturday & Sunday, don't know if this ticket wuold work on Labor Day. Also, Fox River Trolley museum runs a nice little operation near Elgin. Plan to ride them on your way out to IRM.